SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - REVISION OF PRIOR PERIOD FINANCIAL STATEMENTS - INCOME STATEMENT AND COMPRHENSIVE INCOME (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								6 Months Ended	9 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Jun. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Revenues:
Premiums		$ 208	$ 225	$ 232					$ 457	$ 665	$ 904	$ 880	$ 852
Net derivative gains (losses)		(406)	1,762	(362)					1,398	992	890	(1,211)	(1,161)
Total revenues	$ 2,442	2,429	4,548	2,314	$ (213)	$ 2,153	$ 3,297	$ 3,901	6,859	9,288	11,733	9,138	8,961
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		907	1,364	975					2,338	3,246	3,462	2,771	2,474
Interest credited to policyholder's account balances		245	205	279					484	729	1,040	1,029	887
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs, net												52	(243)
Total benefits and other deductions	2,066	2,409	2,514	2,489	1,638	2,013	2,424	2,441	5,002	7,412	9,478	8,516	7,923
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		20	2,034	(175)					1,857	1,876	2,255	622	1,038
Income tax (expense) benefit		101	(419)	121					(298)	(197)	1,139	84	22
Net income (loss)	$ 1,712	121	1,615	(54)	(1,144)	175	600	1,075	1,559	1,679	3,394	706	1,060
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(1)	1,502	(172)					1,328	1,326	2,860	210	662
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment		(79)	293	92					386	315	563	(194)	(832)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes		(76)	273	127					401	333	599	(215)	(861)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Comprehensive income (loss)		45	1,888	73					1,960	2,012	3,993	491	199
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(109)	1,795	(52)					1,742	1,640	$ 3,441	12	(184)
As Previously Reported
Revenues:
Premiums		204	216	225					441	645		854	828
Net derivative gains (losses)		(318)	1,693	(724)					969	1,376		(1,163)	(1,075)
Total revenues		2,520	4,488	1,989	(1,942)	2,006	4,157	4,927	6,477	9,673		9,160	9,023
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		995	1,452	891					2,343	3,308		2,745	2,457
Interest credited to policyholder's account balances		350	321	337					658	1,008		1,079	973
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs, net												287	(254)
Total benefits and other deductions		2,581	2,691	2,562	1,627	2,036	2,581	2,473	5,253	7,800		8,775	7,981
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		(61)	1,797	(573)					1,224	1,873		385	1,042
Income tax (expense) benefit		127	(338)	260					(78)	(196)		168	23
Net income (loss)		66	1,459	(313)	$ (2,259)	$ 22	$ 1,061	$ 1,720	1,146	1,677		553	1,065
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(56)	1,346	(431)					915	1,324		57	667
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment		(55)	314	144					458	362		(208)	(828)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes		(52)	294	179					473	380		(229)	(857)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Comprehensive income (loss)		14	1,753	(134)					1,619	2,057		324	208
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		(140)	$ 1,660	$ (259)					$ 1,401	1,685		(155)	(175)
Impact of Adjustments
Revenues:
Premiums		4								20		26	24
Net derivative gains (losses)		(88)								(384)		(48)	(86)
Total revenues		(91)								(385)		(22)	(62)
Benefits and other deductions:
Policyholders’ benefits		(88)								(62)		26	17
Interest credited to policyholder's account balances		(105)								(279)		(50)	(86)
Amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs, net												(235)	11
Total benefits and other deductions		(172)								(388)		(259)	(58)
Income (loss) from operations, before income taxes		81								3		237	(4)
Income tax (expense) benefit		(26)								(1)		(84)	(1)
Net income (loss)		55								2		153	(5)
Net income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		55								2		153	(5)
Change in unrealized gains (losses), net of reclassification adjustment		(24)								(47)		14	(4)
Total other comprehensive income (loss), net of income taxes		(24)								(47)		14	(4)
Statements of Comprehensive Income (Loss):
Comprehensive income (loss)		31								(45)		167	(9)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to AXA Equitable		$ 31								$ (45)		$ 167	$ (9)